


The Moss

by cinnamorose



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: (dont worry he dyes it later), Ai has one-sided beef with Camus, Enemies to Roommates, M/M, Tags Subject to Change, Trans Shinomiya Natsuki, bc that shits good, black-haired Ai, bleaching is fun to look up and write. hmm., op looks up legends myths and stories asmr, op makes a story with chapters asmr, roommate interactions from someone who doesnt know anything about roommates, some type of fuckin au but shit if i know my guy, theyre not friends. yet.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-17 06:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20616224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnamorose/pseuds/cinnamorose
Summary: Ai Mikaze is used to logic. Science. Straightforward. Technology. Perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect. He does, though, like a certain aesthetic. And upon wandering into the forest, he's found a place to add to his aesthetic of small blotches of colour in the world.He also found what feels like a whole new world.Fantasy. Legends. Stories. Rabbits in the moon.If he ever wants to go home again, he'll just follow the moss.





	1. 23°

**Author's Note:**

> this is because of Cosmo Sheldrake's song "The Moss," i suggest u listen to that song

"The earth, as we all know, is tilted on an axis at how many degrees? Mikaze, do you know?"

"Twenty-three degrees."

"Good, good. I shouldn't have doubted you."

Ai sits attentively, staring forwards as he listens to his professor. With a quick glance around to his left and right, so is everyone else. He's quite lucky to be sat behind everyone else, where he can watch over them. That's his favourite thing. In his small amount of past time on weekdays, between school and study and work and sleep, he likes to watch people around school and work.

In their grey blazers, black pants, white shirts, and tan sweaters in the winter, he likes watching how uniformly they walk. He likes looking up at the old grey buildings, built tall and nearly perfectly straight, windows square and clear and perfectly shiny. Sometimes they're lit up. Sometimes they're dark. Sometimes they have tan curtains, without a design. The buildings are all blank.

He focuses back on his professor, listening intently to all he says. It's all review. He knows this material in and out, through and through, like the back, palm, and sides of his hand. But he still listens.

* * *

It was Friday night. After getting off work, he didn't have any more until Monday. Saturdays and Sundays were free for people, as well as holidays. It's always been like this, all his life. He always has just... Gone home and spent his time indoors on Saturday, between games and studying, and outdoors on Sunday, taking pictures around town.

But now he's photographed all of town twice, thrice for some places even. He's beaten all his games five times in record times, at least for himself. He's studied all of his material eight times. Since it's testing season, he's not getting any new material for any of his classes. Picking up his camera and dressing himself for the weekend, he's out the door in a few minutes.

The moon was out and full, its reflected sun beams beaming down on him. His black hair, pulled back in its signature ponytail, probably was shining with it. He breathes in the cool night air deeply. It's okay to stay up for tonight, probably. Maybe he'll go on down to the forest. Each time he hears about it, his heart pulls with unnatural curiosity.

He likes the weekends. Students aren't just in their uniforms for once. He doesn't look the same as the person he's walking behind, his white t-shirt versus their grey zipped jacket, his tan cargo pants versus their black tight jeans, his black shoes to their white ones. He turns a different corner than they do, walking towards the southern part of town. As he walks, he's behind someone dressed entirely in black, save for their probably white button up beneath their fancy black blazer. Black like his hair. Black like his shoes. Black like the old buildings when it rains. They turn and he keeps going straight.

He goes on until he starts walking out of the main part of town. The old buildings get older, leaves and vines and vines with leaves tangle up and through the buildings. Windows are broken and doors, or whatever is left of a few of them, are hanging on their hinges, the broken ones with their pieces laying on the ground. As he walks, Ai snaps a couple of pictures of the broken down buildings, older than the ones in town. He watches a black cat hop off stairs leading to one of the broken doors and sprints off, deep into the forest. It reappeared after a few minutes, then ran off again, and then reappeared.

"... Ah." He says quietly, taking a step towards the cat. It ran off a few steps before turning and looking back at him. Every few steps he takes towards it, it runs off a few steps, then stops and waits on him. He'll walk, it'll run, it'll stop. Repeat. Repeat. Over and over, until he found his way facing a strange building. Made with wood, not cinder blocks, with vines crawling up it in a decorative way, rather than making it look old and abandoned. The area around it was completely cleared, save for a built fire pit in the ground, a grill placed over it. No fire burned in it. Inside the house, a bright light was on, the yellow glow flowing out from the window behind thin colourful curtains. Distracted by the building, when he finally pulls his eyes away, he sees the cat's gone missing. "Hm..." This is a little bad. At least all he'll have to do to get home is go north.

Strangely enough, he feels the prickling sensation of being watched. Eyes trained on his back. Slowly he looks behind him, seeing a tall man. With dark skin and dark hair, everything else about him pops out with bright colours, vibrant and exciting, more so than his own outfit. Greens and cyan and red and golds and those bright, bright eyes of his in turquoise and his different, highly fashionable clothes and nothing, nothing is bland, nothing is boring, nothing is-

"Hel... Lo?"


	2. Rabbit in the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecil offers to tell Ai a story.

Ai’s eyes widen as he stares at the man, focusing on him intensely. His voice is soft and pretty, just like the man in front of him. He’s very,  _ very _ aesthetically pleasing.

“... Hello. Am I trespassing?” He asks, standing straight. His hands are still on his camera. He’s rarely - no, he’s  _ never _ photographed such a beautiful man.

“Of course not. I like people coming here. But, um… I didn’t think  _ anyone  _ from the city was allowed to come here.” The gorgeous man says, straightening up slowly and coming from behind one of the thicker trees. His hair is short, fluffy-looking. He’s tall, as tall as Ai, but he looks like he should be shorter. Soft, easily held, so, so cute and cuddleable and…

“Are… You okay?” He asks, reaching to touch Ai’s arm, or shoulder, or something. He didn’t stop himself from instinctively jerking away from the man. The saddened look in his large eyes was… Hitting him hard, making him realise his mistake long before he realised he made one.

“Oh, my bad! Are you okay?” The unknown man is quick, pulling his hand back to touch his green and brown and red-flecked scarf instead of Ai. Instead of verbally answering, Ai nods quickly, standing before him. Silence grew between them, long and heavy and somehow, in some form, impossibly deafening. It’s bad. Unwanted. Ai quickly clears his already clear throat and opens his mouth to speak, but before he can say a word, the man talks. “I’m Cecil. Cecil Aijima. Would you like to come inside?”

Ai stares at the stranger, who didn’t demand his name or his business. He eyed his camera, bit his mouth is shut as he expectantly waits on an answer, but not impatiently. Ai was impatient. He wanted to know more, wanted to properly meet this man.

“... I’m Ai Mikaze. I’d like to. May I take pictures as I do?”

Cecil beams brightly and nods quickly, offering his hand to Ai rather than grabbing it and pulling him over. Gently but quickly, Ai slides his hand into Cecil’s expectant one, gently holding it. His hands are seemingly perfect with Ai’s, fitting without being too large or too small compared to his own. He slips his fingers between Cecil’s, lacing them together as the man leads him inside. “Why do you live out here? Isn’t it dangerous?”

“Oh, no, no, not at all! In fact, it’s really safe, and a lot more pleasant than in town! No more  _ yucky  _ smoke-” The face he made at that was cute. “-no more weird people following you around corners-” He shivered. Is it because he’s been followed before? Or because the autumn night air is cold at this time of the year? “-no more loud car horns or loud people living above  _ or  _ below you… It’s quiet, clean, and calm out here.” Cecil stops and takes in a deep, deep breath. His chest slowly, slowly expands, then he lets out the breath slowly. Ai can’t help but stare at his lips as he does, deeply focusing on everything about him. Then, Cecil turns to him with a smile. “You try!”

Ai stares for a little longer, then he turns to face ahead. He breathes in deeply, closing his eyes as he saw Cecil do. He breaths until his lungs are filled, then breathes in more, and breathes in just a little bit more, until his lungs feel like they’re just about to pop from the way his ribs squeeze around them. Only then does he part his lips the tiniest bit, slowly, slowly exhaling through them. The air wasn’t the same. Cecil was right, it  _ is _ a lot cleaner out here. “... Mm…” Ai wobbles on his feet a bit. He felt just a tiny bit lightheaded from the experience.

“Ai? Are you okay?” Cecil slowly wraps an arm around his waist, pulling him a little closer to let him lean on him if he needs. “Why don’t we go sit down? I’d like to tell you some stories I bet you’ve never ever  _ ever  _ heard in the city!”

“... Okay. That sounds nice.” Ai comments, letting himself be led inside. It’s warm, filled with colours that he’s only ever seen inside of the tan books in the library, made for children. Cecil is almost child-like with his innocent actions, with how quick he is to warm up to unusual Ai and his unusual actions and unusual requests. Taking another deep, deep breath, Ai realises he’s just a little bit tired. It’s nearing midnight now, isn’t it?

He barely realised he was sitting on a couch, so deeply absorbed in his own thoughts, until Cecil pokes him in the stomach, smiling in an almost cat-like way and laying across his lap. “There you are, Ai!” He says brightly. “I’d asked if you’d heard of the rabbit in the moon!”

Ai scrunches up his nose. “Impossible. Rabbits, as do all mammals, need oxygen to live. Due to the moon’s abundant lack of such a thing, there’s no way that a rabbit could live  _ on _ the moon, much less  _ in _ it. We learned it in- H-Hey, why are you laughing?” Ai couldn’t help but blush a bit at the man laughing in front of him. “What’s do funny? Are you laughing at  _ me _ ? I didn’t say anything funny, though.”

“So, you haven’t heard of the rabbit!” Sitting up, Cecil crosses his legs and faces Ai. “Do you want to?”

Despite the impossibility for a rabbit to be on the moon period, he is just a little curious of the story. Slowly, Ai nods at the man, watching his smile grow some.

“Well, it was long ago. Many,  _ many _ years ago. The Old Man of the Moon wanted to visit Earth…” Cecil starts. Ai’s nose scrunches, and he giggles again. “I know, I know. ‘It’s impossible for a man to be from the moon, because he needs oxygen!’ Well, I’m sure he has  _ something _ that keeps him alive, right?”

“There’s no atmosphere, though, so there’s  _ nothing _ for him to breathe unless he has oxygen tanks. And those need to be refilled, so unless he had some form of refilling them up there, he would slowly suffocate to death. No food or drink, either. No way for anyone to sustain themselves without coming back to earth. So, if he  _ somehow _ survived the suffocation, he’d either become so starved or so dehydrated that he wastes away. Additionally, there’s no housing upon the… Y-You’re laughing again…” Ai grumbles, turning away. He won’t stay here if Cecil keeps on laughing. Even if it sounds so pretty.

“Let’s get back to the story, little scientist, okay?” Cecil teases. Ai pouts at him, but he nods quietly. For some reason, Cecil’s eyes are… Extremely fond. “Well, the Old Man of the Moon visited earth. He took on the form of a lowly beggar, walking until he stumbled upon three. Kitsune, Saru, and Usagi. He spoke to them and said, ‘Oh please, I am a lowly beggar in need of food. Won’t you please get me some?’

“And so, the three went upon their way. Saru, with his ability, was able to climb up into a tree and fetch some sweet fruits for the beggar. Kitsune, with her ability, went down to the stream and waited patiently until she was capable of catching a fish for the beggar. But poor Usagi wasn’t capable of catching anything, or rooting around in trees for anything. He was only able to come up with grass, which he feared the beggar wouldn’t wish to eat. Thus, when they returned and presented what they all found, Usagi instead asked the beggar to create a fire for him.

“With curiosity, the beggar obliged, building a fire for him. When he stepped away, Usagi  _ leapt _ into the flame. He said, ‘I could not find anything for you to ear, so instead, please have me as your meal.’

“The beggar swiftly reverted to being the Old Man of the Moon, pulling Usagi from the fire and holding him carefully. With a kind and gentle voice, he spoke to Usagi and he said, ‘Dearest Usagi, you are most kind, but I beg of you, don’t do anything to harm yourself, please. Because of your utmost kindness, I shall take you to the moon and let you live with me.’

“The Old Man, with Usagi safely in his arms, returned to the moon, and he’s still there to this day. If you see the full moon on a night that the sky is clear, you’ll see Usagi up there to this day, pounding mochi in his pestle.” Cecil opens his eyes again, smiling at Ai’s wide-eyed interest in the story. “So, what do you think, hm? Was it worth listening to?”

“... Yes.” Ai says, blinking at Cecil slowly. “I really liked it. Thank you.”

Cecil’s smile turns playful and mischievous. “So, are you still gonna talk about how there can’t be a rabbit in the moon?” He teases, laughing a little at Ai’s pout. “Joking, joking! Sorry, I just think you look cute when you pout.

“... Hmph.” He huffs. He leans into the couch again, crossing his ankles.

“So… What brings you out here?” Cecil asks. “Like… Why are you out here? You’re from the city and all. Aren’t you not allowed to be here?”

“Oh. No, that’s not it at all.” He says. “We’re allowed to be out here if we want, really. I just wanted… To get more pictures, newer pictures.” He says, shifting in his seat. He smooths out his shirt. “I didn’t exactly mean to… Walk out… This far…” He yawns, rubbing at his eyes. He’s surprisingly tired now… “Mm...Mnngh…”

“Ah, do you need to sleep?” Cecil asks, standing up. “You can sleep in my bed with me!” He smiles.

“Oh, but… It’s your bed and all. I can sleep on the couch here, it’s okay.” He says. He’s very warm, though. Now that he’s gotten up, Ai’s side feels a lot colder…

“It gets really cold at night, though! You can come to sleep with me, it’ll be a lot warmer!” He hums, taking Ai’s hand and pulling him onto his feet. Ai suddenly finds himself whisked away up the stairs.

“Oh-” He’s only now realised he still has his shoes on. Both of them do. Guess they’ll have to take off their shoes at the bed, then.

When they’re pulled into the warm bedroom, Ai notices that there’s a second bed inside. Both beds are decently large, capable of holding two people easily. “Why don’t I take that bed? Surely it’d be more comfortable for you in that case.”

“Ah? Oh! No, that’s my roommate’s bed. There’s another person that lives with me out here.” Ai nods a little bit. That makes a lot of sense, then. Leaning down, Cecil starts to untie his shoes and slip out of them. Ai copies his movements, holding his shoes together and setting them at the foot of the bed. Cecil sits his next to Ai’s.

Quickly slipping into bed, Cecil holds up the bright lime- and soft lavender-coloured blankets, letting Ai join him. It is warm, a lot warmer than the slowly cooling room, and it was nice to be curled up against the back of the back of the man. He couldn’t help but slowly wrap his arms around him, snuggling into his back quietly.

As the man breathes slowly in his arms, falling into a deep, deep sleep, Ai starts to drift off.


	3. North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's morning, and Ai finds Cecil outside. He also meets his roommate.

When Ai wakes the next morning, there’s a clear lack of body from his arms. He pulls them tighter to his body, desperately feeling for the man he’d held last night, but there’s nothing. He slowly, slowly peels his eyes open, seeing the bed and solidifying the fact that, indeed, no one was in the bed with him. But it also disproved the tiny suspicion in the back of his mind that he hadn’t even left home, and merely taken a nap and dreamt of the man he met last night. It’d have been such an odd dream.

Slowly getting to his feet, he looks over himself, still dressed in the clothing he had when he’d left home. Brushing off his shirt, he looks around through his pockets for his camera. Not there. Not here. Looking about, he finds it sat next to him on the bedside table.

Slowly, he lifts it, looking over it. A digital camera. Just as it had been. Cecil must’ve taken it from his pocket and set it there so it’d stay safe. Ai doesn’t move around a lot in his sleep, though. It still was a nice gesture nonetheless.

He slips his shoes on, slowly walking out of the room and looking around. It’s just as colourful as this morning. Bright and vibrant. Slowly, Ai lifts his camera, taking a single picture of the large room. He’ll get it onto his laptop later for safekeeping. As he walks downwards, down towards the door to the outside. Stepping out, he lifts his camera again, meaning to take another picture.

Then he stops, staring.

Cecil is outside, sitting with his knees to his chest, laughing and smiling as he talks with another man. A head full of gold hair, curling just a tiny little bit. Green eyes are soft, friendly, framed by silver glasses. A crown of hair circling the top of his head, in pink and purple and blue and lighter blue and bright leaves of green. A few trees around town have this same shade of green. Dotted around town, bright and filled entirely with life. The tiny bit of colour in town. Drifting up from their spot at the firepit, he hears Cecil’s sweet and kind voice.

“... Natsuki, I’d met a kind and curious stranger yesterday.” He says, his voice fond and kind. “He’s got such pretty black hair, with these nice cyan eyes. They’re so nice and filled with curiosity and life!”

The stranger - Natsuki, he’d heard, right? - takes a subtle peek behind Cecil, staying silent about his presence. “Oh? Is that so?”

“Yes! And he was so cute when he pouted! Those soft cheeks of his puffed out just the slightest amount-” Does he puff his cheeks out? “-and the blush of embarrassment when I laughed-” That was awfully rude of him to do. “-and his widened, curious gaze when I’d told him the story of the rabbit in the moon last night was so adorable-” Honestly, he’d never thought of himself as… Adorable. Ever. Ai can’t help but pout a little. “-he’s really sweet and cute! Ah…? Natsuki, why are you looking behind me?” Cecil turns around, looking up at the cross armed man he had just been gushing about mere seconds ago.

“Hello. Is that your roommate?” Ai asks, watching as Cecil’s face darkens with his blush. When Cecil nods quickly, he hums some. “Mm. Well, hello, Natsuki. I am Ai Mikaze.”

Natsuki waves at him, humming pleasantly. “Hello! I’m sure you heard already, but Cecil-kun is extremely fond of you.” He says, smiling up at Ai. Ai’s face reddens a little. That’s… Well…

“Thank you for telling me.” He says. “I did hear, thank you.” Cecil turns back around, facing the fire pit again. Inside, a fire was burning and hot. On the grill over it are some things. Ah, they’re likely making breakfast. Natsuki pats the ground next to himself, in between him and Cecil, and hums when Ai sits down at his side. “Thank you. I should likely go home soon, though.”

“It’s only Saturday morning. Do you have work today or tomorrow?” Natsuki asks. When Ai shakes his head, he tilts his head some. “Then, why do you have to return?”

Ai thinks hard. He thinks extremely hard. He can’t think of… A single reason to do it. He can’t think of  _ why _ he has to, just that he  _ does _ have to.

“... I’m not sure.” He says, shrugging. “I just have to.”

Cecil looks at him, then he tilts his head curiously. Always so curious. Always so…  _ cute _ , it seems.

“Well, why not stay one more night?” Natsuki says, holding onto his ankle. “You don't  _ have _ to,  _ but _ you also don't  _ have _ to go back, it seems.”

Ai’s nose scrunches up again as he thinks hard on Natsuki’s words. He’s… Really, he isn’t wrong. He  _ doesn't _ have to go home. “Well…”

He’s torn. Torn between going home like he’s always known to do and staying here with nice pretty Cecil and his interesting golden-haired roommate Natsuki. He picks at his nails absently. What he’s always known and what he wants. They’re rounded. What he’s used to and what he wants to get used to.

Going home or staying another day...

“...i? Ai?”

He snaps out of his thoughts, his eyes widening. He must’ve spaced out. “I’m here, my bad.” He says, looking at the two. Natsuki looks worried. Cecil looks more worried. “I’m… Thinking between the two.”

Natsuki gives him a quick smile, an uncertain one. “Well then, why not stay until noon? At that point, if you want, you can go home. You’ll get a little bit of both!”

… That’s a good idea. Nodding, Ai brings his knees to his chest, resting his chin atop them. “Okay. That sounds good.”

Cecil gently brushes against Ai, his hand gloved in green. A pair of shiny gold rings wrap around two of his fingers, decorating them the same way his painted nails. Teal, red, green gold, the thumb is another shade of gold. Ai’s seen grey polish before. He likes the colours Cecil wears.

The two with him go back to their idle conversation, Ai listening intently to the two of them go on. At some point, food is served up between the three of them. Now that he looks at it, they made enough food for him to have something and them all to have a decently large first meal. If he’d gone early, they’d have had quite some bit of extra food.

“Ah, do you remember which way to go to get home, by the way? It’s a pretty long walk, of course, and going in the wrong way is… Bad.” Natsuki pipes up, facing him.

“Follow the moss. It faces north. Technically, though, not always. Only in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, it faces south on the trees it grows on. And… There you go, looking at me like that…” He mumbles shyly, his eyes on Cecil. His expression is soft, fond, light. What’s with him?

“Sorry, I just enjoy listening to you go on and on.” He says, smiling lightly. “You’re so smart, you know? It’s cute when you start doing your thing, going on with that sort of stuff.” Ai pouts as he listens. Thinking back on words Cecil said earlier, he notices the little way his cheeks puff out. “When you tried disproving the rabbit in the moon, you got all technical and logical. I like that about you, it’s cute!”

Ai is quiet for a long, long time. He thinks over Cecil’s words, replaying them over and over in his head. He’s cute. Cecil likes him being technical. He’s nearly defaulted to Cecil liking  _ him _ , but that’s a ridiculous stretch. That’d be twisting his words. They don’t know each other. It’s ridiculous to think of it like that. But… Cecil thinks of him as cute. He, strangely enough, _likes_ being called cute. At least by him. “... Thanks.” He mumbles.

Cecil hums. “Don’t forget to eat, okay?” He says, leaning against Ai. Ai feels his face heat up a little as he nods, getting back to eating.

He thinks...


	4. Jumblies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsuki offers to tell Ai a story of his own that he enjoys. Ai has many, many questions about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didnt know what a sieve was until i googled it at the end of writing the story. my dumb ass thought it was a whole ass boat lmaoooo. op is a fool, and thats valid of me

The second they finished eating, Cecil took the plates of the three men as Ai stays sitting with Natsuki by the taller man’s request. “Hmm… Has Cecil only told you one story?” When Ai nods, Natsuki’s small smile widens. “Ohh! Then, can I tell you my favourite one? It’s more of a poem than the story like the rabbit in the moon, but I _ really _ like it!”

Ai stares at him a bit, tilting his head a little bit. “A poem?” He asks. He rather likes the way poems flow. At least, the way that most do. When Natsuki nods enthusiastically, he hums to himself. “Mm. I’d like that.”

Natsuki’s smile is bright and happy. With a deep, deep breath, he sits up taller, his eyes closed. The voice he talks in is quiet, gentle, as he recites the poem slowly.

“They went to sea in a sieve, they did, they went to sea in a sieve: In spite of all their friends could say, on a winter’s morning, on a stormy day. In a sieve, they went to sea!” Ai’s nose scrunches up as he listens to Natsuki, confusion as to who ‘they’ are, but he keeps quiet about it as the man continues. “And when the sieve turned ‘round and ‘round, and everyone cried, ‘You’ll all be drowned!’ They called aloud, ‘Our sieve isn’t big, but we don’t care a button! We don’t care a fig! In a sieve we’ll go to sea!’” His eyes open and he smiles gently at Ai tilting his head, fully invested in his recital of the poem he read, read again, and read yet again since childhood. “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a sieve.”

“Jum… Blies? A sieve? Like, as in the kind typically used to separate solids from liquids?” Ai asks curiously. He has never seen a person with green hair and blue hands before. Everyone he’s seen in the past has black hair, brown hair, one or two people have blond hair but even that’s pale. Or maybe he meant a green hat? His nose scrunches up as he thinks hard on it. Natsuki can’t help but giggle and pet his hair. It instantly sends Ai out of his thoughts, his hands flying up to slide under Natsuki’s and cover his hair. “Hey…” He complains.

“Ah, Cecil-kun was right. You really are cute!” He giggles, pulling him in for a bone-crushing hug. Ai sighs deeply at it. Jeez. “Are you ready for me to continue?” Natsuki asks as he rubs his face into his hair. Ai nods, and he takes in a second deep, deep breath.

“They sailed away in a sieve, they did, in a sieve they sailed so fast, with only a beautiful pea-green veil tied with a riband by way of a sail to a small tobacco-pipe mast.” Ai vividly imagines the sieve, how it looks, and just how small the jumblies would be. It’s unrealistic. No real person could be that tiny. He focuses back on Natsuki, who had gone quiet as he waited on Ai to refocus. “And everyone said, who saw them go, ‘O, won’t they be soon upset, you know! For the sky is dark, and the voyage is long, and happen what may, it’s extremely wrong in a sieve to sail so fast!’” That line really gets Ai thinking. Natsuki can tell by the way he, once again, scrunches his nose up. “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a sieve.”

“What _ are _ the jumblies?” Ai asks. The only thing he can think of is how… _ Small _ they are. They must be impossibly tiny, easily held in the hand if they existed. Which they don’t. Probably. “There’s no such thing as someone with _ green _ hair, or _ blue _ hands. Unless it was a hat, and gloves? Were they wearing a green hat and blue hands? If so, why’d you say ‘their heads are green and their hands are blue’? Like, wouldn’t it make more sense to have said their _ hats _ are green and their _ gloves _ are blue? Why are you looking past me like that? What…” He turns, looking back to Cecil leaning out of the window and smiling fondly at him. Ah. That’s embarrassing. He pouts, turning back around to Natsuki. “... You… Can continue now.” He mumbles. His soft and squishy-looking cheeks are just a little bit reddened from catching Cecil.

Natsuki hums, obliging and continuing the story for Ai. “The water, it soon came in, it did. The water, it soon came in. So to keep them dry, they wrapped their feet in a pinky paper, all folded neat, and they fastened it down with a pin. And they passed the night in a crockery-jar, and each of them said, ‘How wise we are! Though the sky be dark, and the voyage be long, yet we never can think we were rash or wrong, while round in our sieve we spin!’” Ai scrunches his nose as he ponders the thoughts of the thoughts of the jumblies. They’re pretty sure of themselves, aren’t they? “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a sieve.”

“They can’t think they’re rash or wrong ever?” Ai blurts out, curiosity in his big cyan eyes as he watches Natsuki. “Isn’t that ridiculous and dangerously overconfident? Surely they’d be endangering themselves that way. _ You _ aren’t overconfident, neither am I, nor is Cecil. That’s because we know that we aren’t _ never _ wrong. We’re all wrong in at least one way in our lives. And… A-And…” He looks back, seeing Cecil walking over to join them.

“Please don’t mind me, Ai. It’s all alright.” He says, sitting down. Natsuki slowly lets go of Ai, smiling as he moves quickly to sit with Cecil now. Why’d he move so fast? He likes sitting with Cecil. He likes listening to Cecil laugh and smile. He likes…

“I’ll continue now, okay?” Natsuki says, taking in a deep breath before he starts talking once again. Ai keeps focused on everything he says, hanging onto every word. He barely notices the way he leans into Cecil, or how Cecil wraps an arm around him and holds him gently. “And all night long they sailed away. And when the sun went down, they whistled and warbled a moony song to the echoing sound of a coppery gong, in the shade of the mountains brown.

‘O Timballo! How happy we are, when we live in a sieve and a crockery-jar, and all night long in the moonlight pale, we sail away with a pea-green sail, in the shade of the mountains brown!’” The voice Natsuki gave the jumblies grabs Ai’s attention, just like when his father told as a child. Deep, deep interest, pure and innocent of the new information. “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the Jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a Sieve.”

Ai, this time, stays quiet, fully sucked into the story. Without any questions, Natsuki begins speaking yet again. “They sailed to the Western Sea, they did, to a land all covered with trees. And they bought an owl, and a useful cart, and a pound of rice, and a cranberry tart, and a hive of silvery bees. And they bought a pig, and some green jack-daws. And a lovely monkey with lollipop paws, and forty bottles of Ring-Bo-Ree, and no end of Stilton Cheese.” There it was, Ai’s brain spinning around and around trying to wrap up what he was told and getting filled with this confusion and these questions. “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a sieve.”

“Why’d they buy those things?” Ai pipes up. “With their size, wouldn’t that all be far too much for them? Save for maybe the bees. Or cheese. What’s ‘ringboree’? Wait, isn’t that a type of alcohol…? You’re telling me these essentially mouse-sized people bought an owl, a cart, a cat - which would likely attempt to hunt them - and a cranberry tart? And a hive, and a pig, and some green jackdaws - jackdaws aren’t even green, they’re really grey, but then again, _ these _ people have green hair and blue hands and are small enough to sail in a sieve with a tobacco pipe as a mast and-” He’s barely taking a breath in between each word, continuing on and on, leaving no space for anyone to butt in and explain to him. “-they bought a monkey with lollipop paws? Monkeys don’t _ have _ lollipop paws! And they bought _ forty _ bottles of a type of alcohol, and ‘no end of Stilton Cheese’? Surely there _ has _ to be _ some _ sort of end to it! And-” Gently, a hand comes and covers his mouth.

“Shh… Ai, it’s okay.” Cecil says fondly, smiling at the man. Ai watches him, staring for just a little silently. Cecil pulls him in, resting his head on his shoulder and running his fingers through his soft black hair. He whined a little at it. “You’re right, there technically _ would _ be an end to the cheese. And it’s silly to think of these tiny humans as capable of consuming these types of things, or being able to carry and hold these things. It really is. But… Ahh, you’re just too cute.” He giggles, watching Ai puff out his cheeks and pout and turn his head away and huff through his nose. He really, really is too cute.

Natsuki beams at the two of them, shifting in the way he was sitting before taking another deep breath. “And in twenty years they all came back, in twenty years or more, and every one said, ‘How tall they’ve grown!’ For they’ve been to the Lakes, and the Torrible Zone, and the hills of the Chankly Bore. And they drank their health, and gave them a feast of dumplings made of beautiful yeast. And everyone said, ‘If we only live, we too will go to sea in a sieve, to the hills of the Chankly Bore!’” At least one other question. He certainly asks quite a lot, doesn’t he? “Far and few, far and few, are the lands where the jumblies live. Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, and they went to sea in a sieve.”

“How… Tall did they grow?” He asks quietly when Natsuki stops. When he’s only answered with a shrug, his eyebrows knit together. “Well…” He struggled a little, thinking harder. The way his head spun made him rub at his temple a little tiredly. “... I don’t… Hrm…” He mumbles. A pleasant petting hand stroked down his hair, gentle and calm. He reached upwards to pat it away with a pout. “Hey…”

“You have such cute questions, Ai.” Cecil hums, rocking with him. Natsuki giggles a bit and nods in agreement. Ai’s face feels just a little warmer, and he turns to hide it in Cecil’s shoulder, grumbling.

“... It was a nice story.” He says after a few seconds. “Thank you a lot, Natsuki. I appreciate it.” His arms wrap around Cecil as he holds onto him.

Thinking on it now, he thinks… He might just want to stay over for one more day.


	5. Scarf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecil points out how Ai needs new clothing.

Around noon, Cecil came around the house to where he last saw Ai. He was wondering if the man had left while they were turned or not… And it turns out, he didn’t leave.

Sitting cross-legged and zoned out fully, Ai had his nose scrunched up tightly as he thinks hard on what he’d been told earlier that day. Cecil did catch him throughout the house, watching the two and mimicking things they were doing here and there, or taking pictures with bright, curious eyes at the colours. There really isn’t much to look at in the city. You come in, and unless you pay the utter most attention to it all, you’ll find yourself on the other side in what felt like two minutes, but it actually took 45. Or you’ll find yourself a few streets down, taking only three minutes, and it felt like 90, all because you looped and looped and looped and looped since the street is all too similar everywhere, with nothing and no one to pop out, that you didn’t realise you were going in circles.

But here, Ai is walking so slowly, far too focused on everything new to even make a single mistake like that. Taking so many colourful pictures and standing to stare at something just a little longer, as if taking a picture in his memory and keeping it there all for himself only. He really enjoyed his pictures, didn’t he? Though, now that Cecil stepped closer, he saw the way Ai’s face scrunched up in… Trouble?

“Ai? What’s wrong?” He asks. Ai didn’t quite look at him, but he did respond.

“... I’m beginning to run out of space to take pictures…” He mumbles, lifting up his camera. “Usually, I’d take that as a sign to just… Go home, upload everything to my computer, and clear out all the pictures in this. But I can’t. I don’t want to go home yet.”

Cecil smiles a little, sitting next to him and listening. His smile falls a little at his next few words. “I’m scared that… If I go home, if I try coming back out here again, you and Natsuki and your house and the trees will all vanish, like it all never existed. Like it was only a figment of my imagination, and I never took pictures of this place, and it all only lead to more and more grey and black and white city streets. Like… Like I never actually stood out among anyone at all, and I always did look the exact same as the next man with blue eyes, black hair, pale skin, 178 centimeters, like I never heard this fantasy stories at all.” Slowly looking over, Ai watches Cecil with a calm expression. “It’s stupid to think about, but that’s what’s on my mind if I go home. Or, what if I’m forced to stay home for some reason, and I never ever get to come here again? What if I forget? What if… What if  _ you _ forget? You don’t even know me, I don’t even know you, and here I am fretting over whether or not you might forget about me. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

Cecil rubbed his fingers over the smooth golden ring wrapped around his middle finger, listening closely to Ai. Before he can speak to comfort the man, Ai shrugs, standing up. “Oh well. It’s not too important, anyways. Nothing to actually have to worry about, you know?” He says. “I have a very good memory, so I won’t forget. And I’ll make sure I come back, even if I have to deal with a roommate or anything. I promise that.”

“Ai-”

“Well… I’m glad to at least talk about that. Even if it’s small, stupid, and entirely useless to have to think about.” He says, shrugging. “... Sorry to swamp you with bad emotions. I’m getting better at keeping them quiet and under control.”

Cecil’s frown deepens as Ai walks off, his digital camera in hand.

* * *

“Where’s Ai?” Cecil asks, coming across Natsuki. He hadn’t seen him since that exchange this afternoon, and he’s a little concerned about if he’s alright or anything.

“Oh! Ai-kun went upstairs! He asked me if I had anything to write on, and I gave him an extra notebook I had around. He didn’t stop staring at it the entire way up.” Natsuki says, turning to face Cecil. “Why do you ask? Did something happen?”

“Oh, no, no! I just want to talk with him about something, give him something to remember us with before he goes home!” Cecil says, smiling a little. “You remember my old yellow scarf, right?”

“You mean the one you got because it reminded you of my hair, and you liked that, but you didn’t think it looked quite as right on you because it was so bright and you didn’t really wear colours that are  _ bright _ bright, so much as they’re just simply bright?” Natsuki asks. Cecil can’t help but laugh a little.

“Yes, yes, that one! Do you think he’d look nice in it?”

“Well, only one way to find out, right?” The two men are grinning at one another now. Natsuki nods towards the stairs. “Go! Get it and give him it!

With that, Cecil runs off, going upstairs quickly.

* * *

Up there, sitting on his bed, is Ai. With the book in his hands, he’s slowly turning it left and right, left and right, left and right, then tilting it up and down, up and down, up and down, watching as the glitter shimmers under the moonlight.

“This is…” He mumbles to himself, entirely focused on it.

“New?” Ai jolts, his head whipping as he looks up at the man who’s suddenly in the room.

“Oh, hello. I’ve been meaning to write in this… But I became distracted by it.” Cecil hums, moving to root around in his dresser as Ai talks. “I mean… You can probably guess, but I’ve never dealt with something shining like this before. We only have bland and boring notebooks, all in black and with a white box where we put our names and what it’s used for.”

“Ah, I wasn’t expecting you to know what glitter is all about yet.” He hums.

“Oh, I know what it’s about. But even then, it’s just… Grey and bland.” Ai traces a finger over the pattern. “No pink, no purple, none of that. I like this.” He looks up. “Are you going to bed just yet?”

Cecil shakes his head, pulling out some of his clothes. “I was going to offer you some things, actually! You… Don’t really deal with many new colours, so I wanted to give you the chance to have some other things that aren’t… White, tan, grey, black. You know?” He says.

Ai blinks at him, then nods, setting down the notebook and standing. “Oh, okay.” When he looks at all that’s in Cecil’s arms, he finds bright and soft colours. His eyes go over yellow and soft lavender, but also to the slightly darker blue jeans Cecil holds. When the pile is set down, slowly he reaches out to them… But he hesitates, watching Cecil.

“... Oh! You’ll want me outta here, huh?” Cecil asks, laughing with humour. Slowly he moves to the door. “Call for me when you’re done trying everything on, and please tell me your favourite things, okay?” Cecil says, moving to the door.

Something compels him to speak. Something deep in him pulls his voice from the bottom of his lungs, bringing it out as he says what’s in his mind. “No, please stay.” When Cecil stops, Ai pauses, his eyes going to the floor. “... I’d like another person to talk about what he thinks. I’ve never thought much on colours working together since I usually just wear the same few colours and all.”

Silence for a bit. Sudden emotions bubble deep in his gut, and Ai’s just about ready to apologise and send him out the door before he pulls away and slowly moves closer to Ai. “Well… That’s a good point!” He laughs, moving to sit on his bed and pull up his legs to cross them. “But, uh… You don’t mind being seen in your underwear?”

Ai shrugs, slowly starting to pull off his shirt. “It’s nothing new for me, of course. I was at a public school for a while.” He says. “And it’s not like you’d see anything weird.” He slips his belt out of his pants, slowly slipping out of them. Cecil does, however, look away until he’s in a new pair of pants.

They’re… A little tight on him, clinging to his legs with only a small amount left loose. But they feel like they still fit him. He picks up a pink and blue striped white shirt, slipping on calmly.

“Oh!! That looks good!” Cecil chirps happily, beaming up at Ai as he pulls on a yellow cardigan. It's… Really soft, actually. And it feels quite nice on his arms.

“Let’s go through more things!” Ai blinks at Cecil’s new enthusiasm. It’s cute. Slowly, he smiles and nods, looking over the rest of the clothing.

* * *

It's taken him quite a while to land to where he is now, in the outfit that he likes the most. Slowly, he runs his hands over the light teal shirt on him, then across the white blazer over it. They dip lower, to his tan pants. These weren’t as large and baggy on him, and he actually looked… Kinda nice. He moves his hands all the way up to rest on the center of the outfit, the most important part: A looping scarf he saw and put on.

Ai's fingers brushed against the soft fabric of the scarf, dancing lightly over it. Yellow. It was bright and yellow, popping with colour. Surely he'd get called a distraction and a nuisance in class by his professor. When he looks up to face Cecil's mirror, it looks... Fitting, almost. Like it's what he's needed for his whole life.

"Do you... Like it?" Cecil pipes up from behind him, almost nervously.

Ai studies the scarf for a little longer. He rolls the tassels between his fingers, sliding his hand up along the straightened edge. He's never considered wearing a scarf for fashion, only using one when needed. It was light and soft, like silk. It's a little odd that it looped around and around infinitely, he never thought of one doing that. Slowly, he looks back to face the nervous man.

He bursted with colours. Greens and browns and a little red and even some golden jewellery. Those large eyes of his, somewhere in between blue and green, stared closely at Ai.

For some reason, he felt his heart beat just a little faster as he watched him.

"Ai...?"

"... Yeah. I like it." He says, slowly pulling his eyes away to look back down at the scarf. A breath of relief comes from Cecil. "... Is it okay... To keep it?"

"Of course! I'd like it if you did!" Cecil comes over, wrapping his arms around Ai and tightly hugging him. He couldn't help but lean into the man, quiet.

He wants... To know more about this feeling. He wants to know more about Cecil. And most of all...

He wants...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it just hit me that he shouldnt wear the same ugly white shirt and tan pants that are oversized on him any more
> 
> also: try and figure out what outfit i based this on :3


	6. Jabberwocky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ai can't sleep. Cecil tells him a poem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this marks about 20 pages of writing in google docs. im excited to see how long my docs get when i get to chapter 10 or smth

That night, Ai lay awake for a good few hours.

His hands gently felt the soft fabric of the scarf, still around his neck. Cecil suggested he take it off before he went to bed, but he insisted. It was so comfortable, he never expected it. Pressing it to his cheek, he hummed faintly and shut his eyes.

Cecil was fast asleep on his right, and across the room he heard Natsuki breathing. He knew how to stay quiet enough to not bother anyone sleeping around him, but he had a sudden desire to get up and explore the house. Sitting up slowly, he looked around the moonlit room, taking everything in. Some things glittered under the pale light, in various silver-tinted colours. More than how grey got greyer, white got whiter, and black got… It got a little greyer, but not all that much. It was still mostly black. He slowly sat up a little further, his back straight. His body freezes completely still as Cecil groans and rolls over in his sleep. Fearing he woke him, he stays entirely still, watching the man for a good while. Even when he was convinced he was still entirely asleep, he kept looking over his face, silently taking him in.

He barely realised he moved to rest his hand on the man’s cheek until he felt him, softly stroking his face with his thumb. Cecil smiled and nuzzled into his hand some more, still deeply asleep as Ai focused on him. His eyes softened considerably as he stared at the man. He’d never do this normally, but…  _ But… _

“Nnh… Ai…?” Cecil mumbles, slowly sitting up higher. Ah. He must’ve done something to wake him.

“My bad.” He whispers, retracting his hand. “You can go on back to sleep.”

Instead of cuddling back under the blankets, Cecil sits up higher, yawning. “Mm… Can you not sleep, Ai?” He asks, staring at him with sleepy eyes. His hair is just a little of a mess. He slowly reaches out to take down Ai’s hair from its ponytail as he waits on him to respond.

“... No. I didn’t mean to wake you, though, so sorry.” He says, forcing himself to stay still when Cecil’s hand brushes across his cheek when it rests back on his lap. That’s odd. He’ll have to keep it in mind, how he had to stop himself.

“Ah… How about I tell you another story, then?” Cecil offers, smiling brightly at Ai. When he nods, Cecil hums and gets comfortable sitting up on the bed, crossing his legs and patting his lap.

“What about it?” Ai asks. Cecil smiles more brightly.

“I want you to lay down!”

“Lay down… With my head in your lap?”

Cecil nods and Ai gives him a curious expression. “Aww, no…?”

“No, no. I mean, yes. I mean-” Ai sighs, pausing for a second. “I meant… I want to, I will. I just… Why? What purpose does it serve?”

Cecil puts a hand to his mouth, stifling a giggle from coming out of him. Ai feels… Embarrassed by that moment. “Have you never laid your head in another person’s lap?” When Ai shakes his head, Cecil rests his hands on his shoulders and pulls him down to rest his head on his lap.

It’s… Soft. Like a pillow. Not really, but kinda. A little bit. He finds himself nuzzling closer to Cecil as he waits for the man to finish thinking and start speaking. “Have you heard the story of the Jabberwocky?”

“Jab… Jabber… What?” He asks, squinting at Cecil curiously. First ‘jumblies,’ and now ‘jabberwocky,’ he’s starting to question the language these two know first.

Cecil hums happily, stroking Ai’s hair softly. “I’ll tell you it, then.” He hums, taking a deep breath before starting. Somehow, as if enchanted by the moon, Ai can’t help but find himself listening to every single word - or what he  _ thinks _ are words, at least - coming from the man’s lips.

“’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!’

“He took his vorpal sword in hand;

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

And stood awhile in thought.

“And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

“One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

“‘And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’

He chortled in his joy.

“’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.”

Ai stares in wonder at the man, focused entirely on his voice and lips, watching as he spoke every single nonsense word, his curiosity filling his eyes. Though, he couldn’t quite find the right place to begin. Slowly, he opens his mouth and begins speaking. “What… What’s the Jabberwock?” He asks.

Cecil giggles as he watches Ai’s curious eyes. He still looked just as majestic with the moonlight behind him. “It’s the Jabberwock. That’s about all I can say about it, really.” He says, clearly humoured.

“None of… Those words…”

“Exist?” Cecil finishes his sentence, running his fingers through his hair. God, he could let him do this all day, every day, if he was given the choice. His eyes slowly start to close as he listens to him talk. “Well, you’re right. They  _ don’t _ exist. That’s my favourite thing about nonsense poems: They don’t make sense, and they’re not  _ supposed _ to. And I really love this one! I also like other things Lewis Carrol made, but mostly, I love this poem. It’s amazing to be sitting here, thinking  _ hard _ on what it means, even if none of the words exist and they all mean nothing. That’s the fun of it.” He pauses, waiting a long time to hear anything from Ai. His eyes slowly open. “Ai? … Ai?” He focuses on the man.

He’s deep asleep, his black hair all in his face. He must’ve finally passed out listening to him. Cecil smiles gently, then looks up and over to Natsuki. “... Were you listening too?”

Natsuki hums in response, but doesn’t say much else. Cecil nods and hums. “Well, in that case… Goodnight, Natsuki. Sleep well.” He says, yawning as he shifts around to properly get comfortable in bed. He moves to rest Ai’s head on his chest, to let him sleep to the beating of his heart, then he settles down, pulling the blankets up and tucking them around the both of them comfortably.

“Goodnight, Ai. I hope you sleep well.” He whispers, stroking his hair a little longer. Ai snuggles deeper into him, his face pressed to his chest. Cecil feels his heart beat just a little faster. He’s too cute.

Quietly and happily, he drifts off to sleep, holding onto Ai with love in his chest.


	7. Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsuki thinks on the way Ai's hair shines in the morning sunlight.

Natsuki hums, unrolling the straps on his binder as he looks to the other bed. His roommate and the man who came in two nights ago, curled up around one another again, Ai’s head to Cecil’s chest, Cecil’s chin resting in the black hair on Ai’s head. The colour of the sun filtering through the windows lit up their faces gently and beautifully. Natsuki’s brain seemed to highlight the way his black hair shone gently, a little bit grey naturally. The sunlight gave it more of a soft yellowish tone, the only bit of colour to it. Watching them, a single idea comes to Natsuki’s mind. “Hmmm…”

Cecil shifts in his sleep, nuzzling into Ai’s hair just a little more. Focusing on it, Natsuki takes in how it looks, then closes his eyes, going through his own head. Maybe he’d look good if it was dyed blond? Ah, but many people are blond there. Bold and high energy colours like red or orange might clash too much. He  _ does _ look good in yellow, so…

Slowly, he turns, walking to his closet. Not only to finish dressing, but to look for a specific box…

* * *

Ai grumbles, turning his head a little. The sun feels so warm on his face, and he’s tempted to fall back asleep. Though, he shouldn’t, and he  _ knows _ he shouldn’t. And with that in mind, he slowly starts to force himself to wake up more. As he starts waking up, he hears two voices overhead.

“But wouldn’t it be troublesome if he stands out far too much? Like… Wouldn’t he just get in trouble?” It sounds like Cecil… He sounds worried?

“Yes, but what if he’s interested in the idea? I mean, if he’s ever considered it, wouldn’t you want to give him more options?” Natsuki.

“Well… You have a point. But it’d be better to let him use natural colours at first, and decide if he likes the idea of something new… Oh, I think he’s awake.” Ai feels Cecil’s hand smooth over his hair, and he can’t help but lean into it a little bit. “How’d you sleep, Ai?”

“Mm…” He hums in response. “... Were you two talking about me?”

Natsuki and Cecil share a glance. “We were. Have you considered hair dying?” Natsuki says, smiling down at Ai.

Hair dying… That’s not something commonly spoken of. If people do it, next to no one even points it. Even friends look amongst one another, say a single compliment, and then move along, never thinking on it again after that. Sitting up, Ai tucks a strand of hair behind an ear. “Now that you mention it… I’ve considered it before a few times, but never really acted on the thought. Why do you ask?”

Natsuki beams happily, lowering a small cardboard box to let them see inside of it. “We have a bunch of hair dyes! I know there’s typically very limited options in the city, so we wanted to show these all to you!”

Ai looks over the colours, his eyes glossing over a few and moving to the next. Purple, blue, brown, red, orange, green, cyan… Cyan. Just before he moves onto the next colour, he focuses again on the cyan.

It’s a close colour to his eyes, something that’d probably look pretty interesting. He’s interested in the other colours, and technically the school doesn’t allow abnormal colours - he’s seen three kids suspended in his own class, the  _ top class _ , the best of the best, for dying their hair any sort of unusual shade - and he knows he’d be penalised, but for some reason, he’s locked onto the cyan.

“Ah… Which one are you interested in?” Cecil asks, following his eyes. He moves one of his hands off of Ai, taking the bottle and pulling it out. “This one?”

Ai nods a little, slowly taking the bottle out of Cecil’s hands. “This one… I don’t know why, but I think this one would look best.” He says calmly.

Natsuki and Cecil share a look. “Are you sure? Like, isn’t it-”

“I’m sure.”

“... Well, if he’s sure, we should get up and start bleaching your hair! You gotta go to school tomorrow, right? So, we should do it before you have to leave!” Natsuki says, setting the bottle box down and taking Ai’s wrist. “The sun’s only just rising, so we have plenty of time!”

* * *

Ai slowly opens his eyes as he feels hands working at his scalp. He’s changed into someone’s old shirt - by the way it’s far too large on him, he’s thinking it’s one of Natsuki’s - as to not cause any damage to his own clothing. “Are you still rinsing it all out?” He asks, looking up at Cecil.

“I am, but it’ll be done shortly!” He hums, smiling at Ai. Odd, he wasn’t expecting it to have taken so long.

“Mmm…”

He relaxes again, up until he feels Cecil’s hands pull away. “... Hm… Mm?”

“I’m all done!” Cecil says, leaning down over Ai. Their faces close enough to where it’s nose to nose, quite literally. “We’ll have to do this again later, so we can properly dye the hair, but for now, your hair is safely lightened once! How was it?”

I miss your hands, he thinks. I miss the way you rubbed into my scalp, how gingerly you held my hair, how you spoke to me. “It was new, definitely.” Ai murmurs. “But, I wouldn’t say it was bad.”

Cecil smiles, gently stroking his hair. “Alright! I’m glad! You know, your hair is sort of warm in the same way the sun is!” His fingers slide in between his now-somewhat light brown locks. “They make me feel comfortable and happy! Like laying in the sunlight, you know?”

Ai closes his eyes, smiling. “I’m glad.” He says. You make me feel like I’m laying in the sunlight, he thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to write how soft things are in his head uwu


	8. City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ai has to go home. There's someone there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive been waiting to add him :3c

Ai absently rubs his fingers over the yellow scarf, watching Cecil as he cooks and helping with him. Natsuki tried coming in to help earlier, but Cecil was quick to shoo him out. “... I was gonna ask, why did you look so spooked when he offered help?”

“Ahaha…” Cecil laughs softly. “Natsuki is… Not that good of a chef, honestly. But he tries, at least.” He says, moving from the stove to reach over the counter’s cabinets.

“Oh, okay. Can I help any?” He asks, moving over to the stove to look at the food. Cecil hums, smiling at him.

“If you’d like! You want to help me plate the food up?” He asks, leaning close to Ai and resting his head on the man’s shoulder. Ai feels a warmth bloom in his chest at that simple gesture. “You can do that, and then we can get to the dining room to eat together!”

“Mm… That sounds good.” Ai says, then he pauses for a second. “... If it’s okay, can I ask why we’re eating inside this time? Last time, it was outside.” He could understand staying inside for dinners, when it’s dark out, but why outside last morning and inside this morning?”

“Oh, we eat outside on Saturdays!” Cecil hums happily. “If the weather allows it, at least. I mean, we won’t do it when it’s raining or anything.”

“Oh, that makes sense.” Ai says. Then his heart drops. Yesterday was Saturday. Today is Sunday. That means tomorrow is Monday, and he has school - and work - on Mondays. Which means he’ll have to leave this afternoon. “... Oh…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Ai?” Cecil asks, turning to look at the man. Then, his smile drops. “... Ai?”

“I have to leave today. Tomorrow, I have school. And other things.” Ai says, frowning deeply. “... I don’t want to go, not yet.” Cecil watches him with gentle eyes, reaching out and softly petting Ai’s hair. Ai leans into his hand, closing his eyes. Why does his heart hurt at this? He’s known for the whole weekend he has to get back into the city today. So why does it hurt that he has to go now?

“Well… Do you want to come over next weekend?” Cecil asks, smiling at him. Ai looks up at him, feeling Cecil’s hand move down to cup his cheek. It’s warm, and Ai leans into his palm just a little. “I wouldn’t mind leading you back here!”

Ai thinks for a little bit, closing his eyes and humming. “That… Yeah. That sounds good.” He says, smiling a tiny bit. When he opens his eyes, Cecil’s giving him the brightest smile. It holds specific emotions, all for him, all sorts of gentle. They give him… Some sort of feeling, something in his chest. It’s good. It’s nice. Suddenly, Ai pulls him close, into his arms, holding him tightly.

“... Thank you, Cecil. I appreciate being here.” Ai says. “It was only for a weekend, but it still was wonderful.” Cecil hums happily, hugging him back just as tightly.

“Of course, Ai! I loved the time you spent, and I hope we’ll get to have more fun next time!” Cecil says, rubbing his cheek against Ai’s. It’s warm and soft. Ai closes his eyes, relaxing deeply into his arms.

“... Cecil, the food?”

“Eh?” Cecil pulls back, then yelps. “ _ Oh! _ Ah, we should get back to it!” Ai smiles a little, amused at Cecil’s response. He’s too cute.

* * *

When the sun was at its highest point, Ai was packed up with his camera and his clothes in a bag. Natsuki offered to let him go home with the notebook, but he said he’d prefer to keep it there with Cecil and him instead. “I think it’d be better here.” He had said.

“You’re all ready, right?” Cecil asks, rubbing over Ai’s face gently. Ai nods, leaning into his hands.

“I’m ready, yeah.” He says. “We should really get going soon.” Despite his words, Ai didn’t move even an inch. Cecil didn't either, despite nodding in agreement with the man. They stayed standing in one place for a good few minutes, until Cecil rests his forehead to Ai’s gently.

“... I’ll miss you.” Ai sighs, closing his eyes.

“You’ll have something to remind you of me while you’re gone.”

“But that’ll make me miss you more.”

“Separation makes the heart go fonder.”

Ai hums in response, lacking any other words to say. Cecil lifts his head, nuzzling Ai’s forehead for a bit. Ai hums and relaxes at the gesture. “... I promise, I’ll come back.”

Cecil nods, sliding his hands off Ai’s cheeks and down to slide them into his hands instead. The two of them lace their fingers together, staying still. “We should… Get you back to the city now. Otherwise, we’ll just be standing here saying how much we don’t want to separate.” Cecil laughs gently, smiling at Ai. Ai’s heart jumps in his chest, beating faster.

“You’re right. Let’s go.” He says, picking up his bag and starting to walk back to the city, bringing Cecil with him.

* * *

“Wow… You know which way the city is, don’t you?”

“Mm? I do. The moss grows in the direction of it, so it’s really easy to find it.” Ai says calmly, bumping his shoulder against Cecil’s as they stand. Ai’s feet on the concrete road, Cecil’s on the dusty ground. Ai absently notices how different their homes are. Grey and entirely manmade, made tall by steel and concrete; against blooming with colour, flora, fauna, made tall by the trees and life. Ai wants to stay in Cecil’s world.

“Oh! That makes sense!” Cecil beams at him brightly. “... Well, it’s goodbye, huh?”

Ai frowns deeply. “Only for now. In several days time, I’ll return to you.” Ai can’t help but feel his cheeks burn at those simple words. Why? He didn’t have a clue why.

“You’re right. It’s goodbye, but only for now.” Cecil smiles deeply. “It’ll pass before we know it.”

Ai nods, then stares as Cecil brings his hand up, kissing over his hand. “I’ll see you Friday, Ai.” He says, pulling his hand away and walking back into the forest.

Ai watched him, and he kept watching, until he could no longer see the man. Then, slowly, he turned and walked home.

* * *

He slipped his scarf off and shoved it back into his bag before getting into his apartment, and he’s a little glad he did.

“There you are, Mikaze.” Ai stares at him, looking between the school official and the unknown man standing in his room. Icy blue eyes pierce into him, sharper than his cyan ones. He quietly looks over the man, taking over everything about him as he listens to the official.

“We have an exchange student from France.” Platinum blond hair. “He’s a Count, from a kingdom there. He claimed the title when he was young.” Pale skin. “He’ll be attending our school, in your class, and so he’ll be your roommate.” 184 centimetres. Ai looks over to the school official. “His name is Camus…?” They both look over to the count, and he stands taller.

“I have no surname. My name is Camus, given to me by my queen alone.” He states, his voice deep and calm. Ai lifts his head up high, staring the man in the eyes.

“... His name is Camus.” The official states. “May you and he get along well.” And with that, Ai watches the official walk past him and out the door.

The silence after the door shut was thick and heavy, the two of them staring at one another. Camus calmly looks over Ai, from top to bottom and back up again. “... I was told you’d have black hair.” Camus states. Ai doesn’t respond, turning away to go to his desk. He sets down his camera, continuing to ignore Camus as he walks to his dresser.

“And I was told you weren’t too fond of talking to others. Which I can see.” Ai’s eyebrow twitches a little. He slips his scarf from the bag, stuffing it into his dresser.

“Well. Goodnight, Mikaze.” Camus says, turning away and going to his bed. Ai waits until he hears him into the bed, then he moves to get into his own bed.

This will truly change a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> iiits Camus! ^w^


	9. Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ai is just a little competitive in class. He's not too appreciative of Camus being better.

The next morning, Ai woke up to the sound of movement around his room. He rolled to sit up in bed, looking over at the main part of the room. There was his new roommate, sitting at his own dresser and finishing moving… Who knows what into there.

“... Hey.” He says, drawing the platinum blond man’s attention.

“Good morning. Do you typically wake up at this time?” He asks, sitting up straight. Slowly, Ai sits up in bed, checking the time. It’s only 4am, what’s he doing at this time?

“No. You were noisy.” He states, getting to his feet. “But I might as well get ready. Have you taken your shower yet?” Ai shuffles over to the bathroom, flicking on a light and rubbing at his eyes tiredly. “Hope you did. I’ll be a while.”

“I don’t mind.”

“The water’ll be all cold.”

“I lived in a kingdom.”

Ai pauses, leaning out. “So?”

Camus looks up from his clothing, staring at Ai. “The Kingdom of  _ Permafrost _ .”

“Oh. Okay.”

“I don’t mind it being cold.”

Ai pauses, watching him. He stays quiet for a long moment before stepping out. Camus looks back up, giving him a confused look. “What are you up to?”

“If it’s permafrost, it was cold, right?” Camus nods slowly, giving Ai a questioning look. “Go take one that’s warm, it’ll be nicer.”

Camus stares at him in genuine confusion, watching him go to his dresser. “... What? We may have time before our classes, but we don’t have all the time in the world.”

“Thank… Um… Thank you.” Camus says, slowly getting to his feet and going back to the bathroom. Ai huffs through his nose, going through his dresser for his school uniform.

* * *

After both of them got to class, Ai found himself frowning. He always found himself comfortably alone in class, but now, he’s found his new roommate sitting with him. “You could sit anywhere else.” He murmurs. The lesson hadn’t started, so it’s okay.

“I understand that.”

“So why next to me?”

“I’ve been designated to be your partner. Is that so hard to comprehend?” Ai feels his eyebrow twitch. The nerve.

“I don’t need one.” He says simply. Camus shrugs in response.

“They decided you did. And so, I am to accompany you in class.” Ugh. This’ll be so  _ very _ fun.

* * *

As he assumed, it was not fun.

In every possible way, when the new student had been asked anything, he showed Ai up. It felt like it, at least. Ai would give the necessary answer. Camus would give the necessary answer and then explain the answer the way the professor would. The pride on his face made Ai seethe. Top of his class Ai, shown up by some new student.

So, Ai did the same as him. Explaining answers further, almost to be teaching the class for the professor, gaining a pleasant look from him. Good. That’s what he wants. A smug glance over at Camus gained a competitive look in response. Ai narrows his eyes.

* * *

“I suppose you really  _ are  _ top of your class, aren't you?” Ai turns to face the man walking back home with him at that comment, his eyes still narrowed. “And don’t look at me with such a childish pout, Mikaze.”

Ai ignored his roommate, going to his dresser and immediately getting clothes to change into. “Hm? You’re acting like you have bruised pride.” He hears him say, before he disappears back into the bathroom to change.

When he gets back out, changed into his work outfit, he angrily narrows his eyes at Camus standing in front of the door. “Can you move?” He asks, his voice calm and blunt as it always is.

“Not quite yet, Mikaze. I wanted to know the reason for your attitude. It’s childlike, grumpy, and—”

“Camus, I am going to be late for my job.” He snaps. Then pauses. “... Sorry. Yes, it’s a pride thing. I don’t like people being better than me. Can I go now?”

Camus nods, opening the door and moving out of the way. “And I suppose I might as well apologise, too.”

“I don’t see why you should. Goodbye, Camus.” Ai says, slipping out and walking quickly. He’s only got to be a minute faster than average, based on the time his phone says. Though, his manager should allow some leeway for a minute’s difference getting to work. She’s never been too horrible.

For most of the walk, he absently remembers seeing a little black cat following him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cant be the only one who gets annoyed at ppl being better than me. i just cant


	10. Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ai comes back home after his school day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a shorter chapter.... that i mightve forgotten to post for a couple of months ahaha-

When Ai returned home by the end of that day, he had almost entirely forgotten of what happened that day. He even forgot he had a roommate, until he saw the head of platinum hair. After a second of confusion, it hit him quickly. “Oh, right.”

“Hm?” Camus looks back to Ai curiously. “What is it?”

“Just remembered you were here now.” The brown-haired man states casually. “Anything interesting happen?”

“No, not really.” Camus says. “About the most interesting possible thing might have happened is seeing all of your pictures.” Camus says, moving to Ai’s pegboard and tapping it.

“Oh, yeah. I like photography.” He says casually. “What about you?”

“Mm. It’s alright, though there isn’t very much to photograph when you’re in constant snow.”

Ai nods. That only makes sense. Quietly, he pulls the hat on his head off and sets it on the top of his dresser, running a hand through his hair. In the mirror above it, Ai absently notices just how warm and fluffy his hair looks. He runs a hand through it, feeling just how soft it truly is. “Oh.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Nothing. I just never noticed how my hair felt before.” He says, moving to let it out of the ponytail he always wears. His hands go through it, separating it casually.

“Really? I’d have expected you to know it pretty well.” Camus says casually, watching Ai curiously.

“Well, I don’t really focus on how my hair feels, so much as how it looks.” Ai retorts, continuing to sift his hands through his hair for a bit.

“Hm. I wouldn’t have expected that, but it’s understandable. “

Ai hums in response, moving to pull it back into his typical ponytail before stopping, an idea coming to mind. “Hmm…” He pulls out some from the ponytail as he ties the rest back, carefully braiding it along the curve of his head. The braid is tight, even if it looks a little odd.

“... Are you trying to create a faux french braid?” Camus pipes up as he tucks the braid back into his ponytail. Ai looks back to face him.

“I might be. Why?”

“Would you like a real one?” The man pats the space in front of him on his bed.

He pauses, staring at the man. “... Sure.” He says, moving over to sit in front of him. “Don’t be afraid to pull on my hair any.”

“I can’t be, the braid needs to be tight.” He says, moving to give him enough space. With the man in front of him, he takes his hair out of its ponytail and parts it much more neatly, then he starts pulling on it, bringing it into a tight braid along the side. A lot better and neater than Ai’s, by the time it’s done. “There.”

“Thank you.” Ai says calmly, standing to go look at himself in the mirror. “Oh. That’s really good.”

Camus hums pridefully. “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoy it that much.” He says, standing up to follow Ai to the dresser. His hands move to adjust his own hair, neatening it as he stands next to the man.

“… So, Camus.” He starts. “Why’d you come here?”

Camus pauses, lowering his hands. “I have work here.” He says. “I was sent on a mission. Though, due to my age, I was enrolled in the college here.”

“Oh. Not very subtle about the reasoning, are you?” When Ai moves to look at Camus’s face, he’s surprised to see a hint of resentment on it. Quick to change the subject, he clears his throat. “… So, aside from my behaviour after class, how was your first day?”

“Oh, it was alright. Though, shouldn’t we be going off to bed?” Ai looks back to the clock. Oh, it is pretty late.

“You have a point.” He says, opening his drawer and pulling out some of his pyjamas before he makes his way back to the bathroom to change. Camus nods a little and lets him go. “Thank you for this, by the way. I appreciate it. I’ll keep it in the morning.”

“I’m glad you appreciated it.” Camus says, moving to go back to his own bed after staying at the mirror for just a little longer.


	11. Chlorophyll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packing for a trip, Ai's stopped and questioned about his future whereabouts.

Through the week, Ai kept himself busy as he always would. His typical work as usual, his classes with barely any issues between them. He had gotten curious glances to his hair in the halls and such—never once has he worn it up, until now, and it’s a curious sight for most for him to have effort in it—but not once flagged down or bothered for it. After about the first day, they eventually stopped paying attention to him as usual, anyways.

By the time Friday came around, he was deathly impatient to get out and about, to get back to Cecil, if he can. Out of school uniform, into street clothes, and about halfway through packing his bag when Camus looked up from his book, staring down at Ai. “… What on earth are you doing?”

“I’m going out,” Ai states, looking back to Camus, his hands on a shirt. “Why?”

“To where? Do you even need to be bringing a bag?” Camus asks. Ai just rolls his eyes, standing to pull the scarf Cecil had from his drawer, hidden in a shirt.

“Don’t roll your eyes. You should know the school rules state that you’re to be in your own dorm by a certain time, mister ‘best student’—unless that changed when I was travelling here?” Camus narrows his eyes at Ai, and Ai turns to face him with an irritated look.

“And here I was believing we’ve gone past you antagonising me,” Ai bites, standing and pulling his bag to the door.

“Antagonising, yes. But letting you blatantly break school rules when I could be a good friend and stop you before you’re caught and punished?” Camus clicks his tongue, and Ai huffs in irritation, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on. “Shameful, really.”

“Yes, well, it’s  _ also _ a shame you’ve not stopped bothering me,” he says, pulling his bag on and opening the door. “Now, good. Day.”

As Camus’s calls for him to come back fall upon mostly deaf ears—Ai heard him, he was listening to see if he’d shut up already, but he was ignoring the man otherwise—the door slams shut behind him, and by the time Camus is off of his bed and opening the door to follow, the man is halfway down the stairs already.

* * *

“Cecil?” Ai asks, looking around. “I’m here. Are you?”

He hears a meow nearby, and he turns his head quickly, eyes wide. A black cat, with short fur and joyous eyes, hops down and comes over to rub against Ai’s legs. He smiles, leaning down to scratch along his back. “There you are. I’m ready,” he says as the cat purrs under his touch.

The cat meows again, bounding off into the forest like he had the first day. Ai follows behind, keeping his eyes on him as long as possible, letting himself be willing led towards the strange house in the woods. Strangely enough, he feels more relaxed now, more at home here in the woods. The quiet sounds of the woodland creatures settling down, the diurnal ones readying for bed and the nocturnal ones readying to wake. Crepuscular critters mull about themselves in the dusk, like the rabbits hopping around in the underbrush for food. Cecil pounces on one, scattering the others before hopping off of it and chasing it off. “How unnecessary of you,” Ai states. Cecil only meows up to him.

As the two approach the home, Ai realises he’s lost sight of Cecil. Turning and looking around, he’s given a jolt when someone rubs up against him, arms around his waist. “Ai! I’m so glad you came back!” Cecil purrs. “Natsuki and I have been prepared for your return! I’ve been lonely without you!”

As Cecil rubs his cheek against his shoulder, Ai feels his face getting warm. Ah, how close… “I’ve missed you too,” he admits softly, running his fingers through his hair. “Would you like to catch up on what’s happened while we were apart?”

“I’d  _ love _ that, Ai.” Cecil’s bright smile warmed his heart, and he smiles back as they enter.

* * *

Staring from the trees was a frigid, boring into the back of Ai and that mystical boy with him. What a troublesome student, getting into such activities. Of course, no one would have pinned the top of the top students to be a delinquent of this type.

Scoffing, Camus turns to return to the city. He shall deal with such a problem when he returns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀


End file.
